Stories Undone, Scars Unseen // Hamilton College AU

John (44)

"Alexander!" I call. "Alex, where are you?!"

Whether he responds or not, I don't know. The storm is next to deafening, and there is chaos down on the bottom floor.

I run upstairs to try and find him. I'm getting really panicked now, he's not showing up anywhere I'm looking. I finally check his room. "Alex? You in here?"

"J-John?" His voice cracks a little.

I lift up the covers on the bed and find him there. "Oh honey, are you okay?"

Alex steamrolls right over me, pressing me into a hug. I notice that his arms and hands are slightly wet. "The w-window in the b-bathroom b-burst. So I t-tried to pick up the glass and-"

I curse loudly. "Are you bleeding?!"

"Just a little?" He cringes away from me. "What's happening? Because that's not natural! And nobody was in here, and I don't know what's happening, and people are screaming, and God..."

I gulp and worm my way out from underneath him. "Alex, everyone's safe right now, but you have to come with me. There's a bathroom downstairs without any windows, I have to clean your cuts and get any pieces of glass out before it gets infected. You can meet me down there or come with me, but I have to get my first aid bag. Okay?"

"I can't go downstairs!" he protests immediately, flattening himself against the wall.

"No-Alex it's okay, we'll stay away from the windows. I really really need to clean your cuts though, please so help me... I will carry you down there if you don't come willingly."

"No! It's dark downstairs and the winds are really bad and it sounds horrible and I'm notgoingdownthere. Don't you dare touching me," he stammers out, voice squeaking and words starting to jumble together sloppily.

I walk over to him and pull him into a tight hug. "Alex," I whisper. "I know it sounds bad, but do you know what's worse?"

"Going downstairs and dying is bad either way."

"We're not gonna die. I won't let you die. But Alex, I just really need you to bear with me here. I promise we'll be okay. I promise. Do you trust me?" I ask softly.

He sniffles. "That's not fair!"

"Do. You. Trust. Me."

"Why can't we stay up here?" he whines, heartbeat visibly picking up. I can feel it hammering against me in the hug. His breaths keep getting faster and faster until it's like he's running a marathon, panting and wheezing to get the words out.

It's freaking me out, but I think I can do this. "I would be totally fine with staying up here if your hands weren't bleeding, love. Not only that, but if we don't deal with it now, the storm will get worse and we won't have a chance until it's too late. Believe me, the very last thing I want to do is put you into a situation you don't want to be in, but the bathroom is the only safe place with running water."

"I can't."

"You can, Alex. You'll be safe. I really don't want to potato sack you and bring you down there, so please come with me." I force him to look me in the eyes as I speak.

He blinks hard, tears splashing down his cheeks. "I can't, John, I just can't. I'm not doing it again. I'm not going... I can't do it again. Don't make me. Everyone's down there! I can't watch them... I can't! Please! Please, John! It's not that bad! I've had worse!"

I'm crying now too because of so many reasons, but I know I need to do this, even if he hates me for it afterwards. "I'm really sorry," I choke out. I sling him over my shoulder and jog out of the room, on the way downstairs grabbing my medical pouch.